Outgoing Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) says if Congress doesn't act and the nation plunges over the fiscal cliff next week, you can square the blame on Grover Norquist pledge, which prevents Republicans from supporting any tax increase.

"I’ve never signed these pledges because my obligation to the people who elected me and that’s the way it should be for each member of Congress, because times change," Snow said, speaking to CNN Starting Point host Ali Velshi. "It is important to have extending the tax cuts for especially the middle income but secondly to put spending cuts on the table."

Snowe also insists it's important for members of Congress to "demonstrate we have some capacity left to make decisions in Washington on these very significant issues for the country."

Snowe backs a deal offered by President Obama that would prevent taxes from going up on families earning $400,000 or less, something many stubborn members of her party are unwilling to do.

Norquist is supporting the Republican's hardline position tweeting on Thursday, "We had an election Boehner was elected speaker. Now lame duck obama should get over it."